Punjab & Haryana High Court, Chandigarh
Citation(2003) 7 SCC 222
CourtSupreme Court of India
Date27 August 2003
Year2003
BenchN. Santosh Hegde, B.P. Singh JJ.
Acts/ArticlesArticle 311, Article 14
CategoryService & Employment Law

Key Principle Established

A person promoted on temporary/officiating basis has no right to the promotional post. Reversion of such person to the parent cadre is not punitive and does not require disciplinary proceedings.

Brief Facts

An employee promoted on temporary/officiating basis was reverted to the parent cadre. He challenged the reversion as punitive, arguing it required Article 311 procedural safeguards.

Ratio Decidendi

The Court held that reversion from a temporary/officiating promotion is not punitive — it is merely a return to the substantive post. Since the employee had no right to the promotional post, reversion does not attract Article 311 protection and does not require a show cause notice or inquiry.

Impact & Significance

This distinction between substantive promotion and officiating promotion is critical in government employment law. Officers on temporary promotion cannot claim the same protection as those holding substantive appointments.

Tags & Related Topics

Service & Employment Law Article 311 Article 14
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Disclaimer

This judgment summary is for educational and research purposes. While care has been taken to accurately represent the ratio and findings, for authoritative reference always consult the original judgment text from official sources (SCC Online, AIR, Manupatra, or court websites).

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